Review -- Stila Custom Color Blush in Coral

I try to avoid gimmick-y products -- because how many of them actual live up to their gimmicks? -- so I haven't been particularly interested in Stila's Custom Color Blushes.

They've been around for a few years now, but if you're not familiar with them, they're blushes that are supposed to react to each wearer's pH levels to create a custom perfect shade. 

I don't know about you but that sounds like a pretty neat marketing ploy -- but personally, I don't buy into it.

Maybe it's because I feel like blushes always tend to look a little different on different people -- your natural skin tone and coloring always affects the way a shade appears, doesn't it? 

So what's the big deal with these Custom Color Blushes?

Still, I checked out the Coral one a few times when I was at Sephora, and I was really drawn to the color, so when Stila recently had a sale, I decided to pick it up.

Review -- Rimmel Show Off Lip Velvet

Matte liquid lipsticks are all the rage these days, but I've been reluctant to jump on the trend.

That's because, as a general rule, I don't particularly like matte lipsticks -- they're just so drying and require too much work to make look good -- and I especially don't like liquid versions.

On my lips, they always seem to look dry and cracked, no matter how much I moisturize and exfoliate my lips.

But I'm weak when it comes to makeup and seeing all the new liquid lipstick products out there gets me a little intrigued.

I didn't want to spend a ton of money on a product that I wasn't sure I'd like, though, so when I was at Walgreen's recently, I decide to give Rimmel's Show Off Lip Velvets a try.

Review -- Urban Decay Naked Smoky Palette

When I heard that Urban Decay was coming out with a new Naked Palette, I told myself I wasn't going to rush out to buy it.

I lasted an entire week before breaking down and ordering it.

That's something, right?

My initial reluctance to buy it was due to the fact that it's the Naked Smoky Palette -- because while I love a good smoky eye, I have very specific requirements for the smoky looks I like on myself so I'm usually better off putting together my own looks than buying generic 'smoky' palettes.

That's because I have super fair skin so I prefer warm, bronze-y smoky looks on me over traditional black, gray, navy, etc., smoky eyes.

(Which is not to say that fair-skinned folks can't rock those kinds of looks. I see lovely examples of it on YouTube and Instagram all the time. It just requires a skill that I don't have ... or maybe it's just that I'm too lazy to put the work in. One or the other.)

The Urban Decay Naked Smoky Palette falls more in line with the traditional idea of the smoky eye, so if that's your thing, I think you'll definitely enjoy this palette.

Review -- Maybelline Superstay Better Skin Foundation and Concealer

Every time I go into the drugstore or Ulta these days, I feel like there's a new foundation or concealer to try.

I'd seen quite a few videos and reviews on Maybelline's new Superstay Better Skin Foundation and Concealer before it actually turned up on the shelves of my CVS, so I was super excited to give it a try when I finally spotted it.

Now, it should be noted that these products don't just promise amazing, long-lasting coverage while you're wearing them -- they claim that they can actually improve the overall appearance of your skin in the long-term too because they contain Actyl-C, a more stable form of vitamin C, so skin becomes brighter, more even, etc.

I don't really pay much attention to claims like that -- because I'd have to use these products every day, consistently, to realistically see those kinds of results, and I switch up my face products on the regular so that's never going to happen.

So for me, it all comes down to how the foundation and concealer make my skin look while I'm wearing them.

Review -- YSL Touche Eclat Blur Perfector and Touche Eclat Blur Primer

Confession time -- I stalk the Sephora website on pretty much a daily basis, looking for new products.

Now, I don't always buy the new goodies I see, but I like to know what's out there so I can decide how badly I "need" this or that.

When I saw the Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat Blur Perfector, I was definitely intrigued. 

A product that perfects the skin while keeping its healthy glow? 

Sounds pretty fantastic, doesn't it?

But the product is $55, which is a definitely pricey in my book so I didn't rush out to buy it. I mean, I own exactly one YSL product -- the Le Teinte Touche Eclat Illuminating Foundation -- which I absolutely love, but because it was pretty expensive, I tend to save it for special occasions. 

So when I had the chance to try the Touche Eclat Blur Perfector and a sample of the Touche Eclat Blur Primer for free, courtesy of Influenster, I was super excited.

Review -- It Cosmetics CC+ Airbrush Perfecting Powder

When you have dry-ish skin, it can be pretty difficult to find a face powder.

That's because they tend to cling to dry patches and become seriously cake-y even if you apply the lightest layer possible.

Sometimes, though, I need a little powder -- whether it's because I want a little extra coverage or I want to make sure that my makeup lasts all day or I don't like the finish of my foundation -- and I need to have a product in my makeup drawer that I can count on.

As a brand, It Cosmetics is dedicated to creating products that provide anti-aging benefits so it stands to reason that their powder products would be a good match for dry skin. I love their Bye Bye Pores Powder in the summer when I want a matte look (and it does really make your pores disappear!), and their Celebration Powder Foundation and Celebration Illumination Foundation are nice as well, but they're a little heavy if you just want a powder to set a foundation.

That's why I was excited to see their new CC+ Airbrush Perfecting Powder.

While it offers more coverage than a basic translucent powder, it isn't a powder foundation so it's ideal for setting everything from a BB cream to a full coverage foundation.

Review -- Missha Signature Real Complete BB Cream SPF 25

My very favorite BB cream in the world is the Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream.

It feels like nothing on the skin, but delivers seriously impressive coverage that tends to be enough for me most days.

It also has a healthy, dewy finish that's really pretty and the shade No. 13 is nearly a perfect match for my super fair skin.

But Missha has a ton of BB cream options, and I wouldn't be the makeup junkie that I am if I weren't a little bit curious about their other formulas. So when they had a sale recently, I decided to give the Missha Signature Real Complete BB Cream a try.